The percentage of overweight children has more than tripled in the last three decades. The incidence of type 2 diabetes has increased concomitantly. In New Mexico, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is particularly alarming.
As pediatricians and family practitioners, you are on the front line in the effort to reduce obesity. Not only do you treat children who are struggling with weight issues, but you are in a unique position to help children identify and adopt lifestyle habits that will help them avoid weight-related health problems and lead to a healthier adulthood.
Recognizing the critical role you play in motivating patients to be healthier, Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies across the country, working with the respected clinical organizations shown below, have developed a toolkit that may help you confront the obesity epidemic with your pediatric patients. The toolkit includes:
Materials to help you in managing your pediatric patients during office visits:
- Guidelines that provide you with key assessment and diagnosis information
- Tear-off patient chart sheets that can be used to track patient information, referrals and tests
Materials that teach parents how to support their child in making healthier choices, including:
- A brochure on the implications of childhood obesity
- A poster with tips from the Good Health Club® that parents and children can read while they're in your office or waiting room
Take-home materials for patients and parents to use to track progress towards healthier choices and habits, such as:
- Patient evaluation sheets (segmented by age) that help you set goals with the patient and put an action plan in place to help them achieve those goals
- A workbook patients can use to track their progress between visits
Our hope is to support you in preventing future cases of diabetes by building healthy behaviors in America's youth today. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies were fortunate to share this vision with the following organizations and individuals, which provided support in the development of the toolkit:
- The American Academy of Pediatrics
- The American Diabetes Association
- Dr. Brook Belay, MD, MPH, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
English Toolkit:
- Physician Guidelines
- Brochure
- BMI Charts
- Healthy Tips Sheet Ages 2-4
- Healthy Tips Sheet Ages 5-9
- Healthy Tips Sheet Ages 10-12
- Healthy Tips Sheet Ages 13 Plus
- Weekly Journal Ages 9 and under
- Weekly Journal Ages 10 Plus
- Healthy Track Animals Poster
- Healthy Track Numbers Poster
Spanish Toolkit: